i^2 A MOUNTAIN EXCURSIO.V. 



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snow-bound elysium, were it not for the L 

 borionsness of the ascent. Tlie followm? 

 grapliic account of a ' pleasure excursion' - 

 this celebrated ' watering place/ is from the 

 memoranda of Mr. E. Stanley, who spent 

 "^any years in the New Mexican capital 



I he snow had entirely disappeared from 

 the top of the highest mountains, as seen from 

 feanta Fe before the first of May, and on the 

 eighteenth we set off on our trip. All were 

 furnished with arms and fishing-tackle— well 

 prepared to carry on hostihties° both by land 

 and water. Game was said to be abundant 

 ^^i u ^^^>'— ^eer, turkeys, and even the for- 

 midable gnzzly bear, ready to repel any inva- 

 sion of his hereditary domain. Santa Fe 

 creek, we knew, abounded Avith trout, and we 

 were in hopes of finding them in the lake, 

 although I had been told by some Mexicans, 

 that there were no fish in it, and that it con- 



tained 

 de 



certain 



and hideously misshapen httle 



mul We travelled up the course of the 

 creek about eight miles, and then began to 

 climb the mountain. Our journey now be- 

 came laborious, the ascent being by no means 

 gradual— rather a succession Sf liills— some 

 long, others short— some decHvitous, and 

 others extremely precipitous. Continuing in 

 tnis way for six or seven niiles, we came to a 

 grove of aspen, thick as cottonwoods in the 

 Mi^soun bottoms. Through this grove, which 

 extended for nearly a mile, no sound met the 

 ear ; no sign of Ufe— not even an insect was 



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